Nations League in Bologna: Mancini guides Italy towards revival

Nations League, decisive match in Bologna, saw Italy beat Turkey 3-1 at the Dall'Ara, confirming the revival of the national team under the guidance of Roberto Mancini and marking the first success in Italy of this new management, after the last break.

Reconstruction Underway

Roberto Mancini fielded nine different faces compared to the last match against France, keeping only Gianluigi Donnarumma and Alessandro Bastoni among the starters. Among the newcomers stand out Alessandro Vergara, Mohamed Doumbia, Alessandro Maldini, Lorenzo Romano and Gianluca Scamacca, all brought in to give fresh life to the attacking department.

The new management's journey began with a 0-2 defeat, followed by a thrashing on Turkish soil of 4-1 and a near‑miss in France. These results have laid the foundations for the win in Bologna, showing that Italy's reconstruction is progressing steadily.

The Game Plan

In the first half, in the 26th minute, Scamacca broke the deadlock thanks to a Kabak rebound from a Lorenzo Di Lorenzo cross, delivered by Doumbia. It was his second goal in the blue shirt of his career, scoring with a precise volley.

Calafiori restores Italy's lead after Turkish equaliser

The second half saw Turkey equalise with a goal from Simsir assisted by Celik, but shortly after, in the 64th minute, Calafiori rose into the box and headed the ball against the crossbar, restoring the Italian lead. Pio Esposito sealed the match with his seventh goal in 13 appearances, thanks to an assist from Doumbia and a decisive pass from Romano.

Doumbia played a key role, creating space and providing assists, while Romano contributed with a decisive central pass at the 23rd minute that set Scamacca's move in motion. Under the Two Towers, the Ara is always considered home for the national team, a symbol of Bologna's familiarity.

Implications on the Table

With the three points earned, Italy moves up to the provisional second place in the Nations League group, securing the final third place and a seeded position for the European qualification draw. The result was reinforced by France's 4-1 victory over Belgium in Saint‑Denis.

Italian dominance in Bologna puts pressure on the Red Devils' chances

Turkey remains on zero points, with coach Vincenzo Montella having to wait for the next match to understand his team's future. Looking ahead to November, Italy will face Belgium and France for the top of the group, confident of relying on a more balanced and renewed squad.